Telangana Congress stepped up its offensive against the TRS government meeting the Governor, Tamilisai Soundararajan and demanding that a court-monitored CBI enquiry be launched on the daylight murder of lawyer-couple, Vaman Rao and Nagamani, since the police and TRS leaders were facing accusations.
A delegation of Congress led by TPCC president. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy consisting Manthani MLA, D. Sreedhar Babu; Sangareddy MLA, T. Jayaprakash Reddy and MLC, T. Jeevan Reddy met the Governor at Raj Bhavan on Friday morning and submitted a memorandum.
Later, Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy told reporters that the brutal murder of High Court advocates in Manthani reflected the murderous politics in Telangana due to the rising sand mafia. He said Chief Minister, K. Chandrashekhar Rao did not even condemn the murder and claimed this sent a signal to the TRS leaders that they will be protected.
The deceased Vaman Rao and his wife Nagamani had filed several cases against the local TRS leaders involved in illegal sand mining and land grabbing. They also filed a case against the Manthani police officials for the custodial death of a Dalit, Seelam Rangaiah, he reminded. The Bar Council of Telangana and also the Bar Council of India had written letters to the Telangana High Court Chief Justice terming it as an attack on the judiciary, he said.
The TPCC chief said people don't have confidence in the police as the Ramagundam Police Commissioner, Satyanarayana was behaving like a stooge of Peddapalli district ZP chairperson and former TRS MLA, Putta Madhu. He is close to the Chief Minister and justice will be denied if the Telangana police investigates the case given the allegations against them.
Reveal the phone data
Manthani MLA and former Minister, D. Sreedhar Babu said police were trying to give a personal rivalry colour to the murders showing some land dispute in a village and construction of a temple to dilute the role of TRS leaders.
He wanted to know why the police is not gathering the call data record of the leaders on that particular day when IT Minister, K.T. Rama Rao boasts of using technology day in and day out. It was a shame that the lawyers were killed on the Chief Minister's birthday.
Congress MLC, T. Jeevan Reddy reminded that when TDP leader Paritala Ravi was killed during the Congress rule a CBI enquiry was sought by the government. He asked the CM to seek CBI enquiry to prove the government's innocence.
Police arrests
Earlier, the police arrested TRS Manthani mandal president, Kunta Srinivas, a close aide of Mr. Putta Madhu and the prime accused in the case. Later, the police also arrested Bittu Seenum nephew of Mr. Putta Madhu for arranging the car and sickled used in the murder.
Opposition parties have been demanding that the role of Mr. Putta Madhu also be investigated.